Christopher Churchill

About Christopher Churchill

I am a Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics engaged in undergraduate and graduate teaching and research at a PhD granting academic institution. I am also author of a two-volume set of graduate-level text books in my research field, entitled Quasar Absorption Lines. My research goals are to contribute to our understanding of how galaxies form and evolve over cosmic time. In particular I study the so-called baryon cycle, which is describes how gas is incorporated into galaxies from intergalactic space, turns into stars, and then how the dying stars eject gas back out of the galaxy or how it gets re-engaged in cycling through the galaxy. To this end, my collaborators and I use the Hubble Space Telescope, the Keck Telescope in Hawaii, and the Very Large Telescopes in Chile. We also analyze hydrodynamic cosmological simulations to directly compare our observational data to cutting-edge theoretical predictions. We have published more than 100 scientific papers on the topic. Recently, I have been involved in developing deep-learning artificial intelligence convolutional neural networks to streamline analysis of the observational data.My teaching passions are quasar and stellar absorption line spectroscopy, life in the universe, and the history and future of everything human space flight. For the latter, I have inherited and expanded a junior-level course called \"Into the Final Frontier.\" For my courses, I have developed a modest YouTube channel called Stellar Spectroscopy Lectures that has multiple lecture series on life in the universe, the history and motives of human exploration, and methods of spectroscopy (these were mostly developed during COVID). I have also served on the Governor appointed Counsel for the New Mexico Space History Museum. I love public speaking because I love teaching and I love sharing passions and perspectives with the aim of opening intellectual windows for others.For roughly a decade, I was also the HR and Strategic Manager of a private audiology practice that employed up to 10 employees, including several doctors and interns. My hobbies include learning about ancient civilizations, thinking and debating about the future of civilization and life in the universe, and amateur coin collecting. I also have played the drums and the electric bass for vast majority of my adult life. I have performed semi-professionally in more than a dozen different bands throughout college, graduate school, and as a professor (I skipped my postdoc years- too focused on research!). I favor performing progressive and classic rock.

Experience

1. Professor

   New Mexico State University

   Aug 2013 — Present · Las Cruces, NM, US

Education

• University of California, Santa Cruz

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Astronomy and Astrophysics

  1990 — 1996

• California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

  Bachelor's degree, Physics

  1986 — 1990